Port-Cros National Park Pascale Soussan, Voil'océan program manager Longitude 181 – Stages Voile Terre Mer

Originally from the Lyon region, Pascale Soussan has lived in the Var "en Provence Verte" for 27 years. After studying to be a PE teacher, she chose to become a primary school teacher. But ever since the age of 5, when her father introduced her to the marvellous underwater world that fascinated him, she has always kept one foot in the water. She became an instructor at the age of 22, passed her state certification and trained as an underwater biology instructor.

" At weekends and during the vacations, I worked on an association dive boat in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. In exchange for my supervision, I could dive all year round ". In 1997, she bought a sailboat and sailed with her family." In 2019, we're preparing a transatlantic project and I got in touch with the Longitude 181 association because I wanted to create a project linked to the school." Life and COVID put an end to this adventure... but opened another door:

I was asked to join the board of directors, and I accepted, because I immediately identified with the values of this association, whose aim is to protect the ocean through research, awareness-raising and collaboration... I feel deeply moved by the notion of living together, the idea of coming together to preserve the commons and reconcile humans with wildlife, which is the philosophy of François Sarano, founder of Longitude 181. It's a community of thought built around two key words: respect and benevolence.

Today, Pascale is responsible within Longitude 181 for the Voil'océan program she set up.

My idea was to build bridges with other activities in the marine world. There were no boats at the association, and nothing happened at sea apart from François and Véronique Sarano's scientific expeditions. It seemed important to me to give the public the chance to sail in protected marine areas, the territory of the National Park, the Pelagos sanctuary. So it was quite natural for me to get in touch with the National Park when I created two proposals to discover this exceptional natural territory on board a catamaran departing from ^{Bormes-les-Mimosas1}.

We became involved in the Esprit Parc Nationalapproach because we wanted to strengthen our partnership with the National Park, which is the first marine park in Europe and works admirably well. I'm proud to be working alongside it and to promote its values, with which we fully identify. The organization on board our boats favors the local economy, and we make our trainees aware of energy management, water consumption and respect for the International Charter for Responsible Yachting. We also offer certain Esprit national park products on board and recommend branded diving clubs. What's more, there's a strong emotional bond between the National Park and François Sarano. The brand gives us visibility and the opportunity to meet other branded partners who work in complementary sectors: accommodation, sports activities, etc. I like bridges. You get to know people who like the same things as you, but from a different angle, and that's what's so rewarding!

1. https://www.longitude181.org/voilocean/